Presidential Riots

On November 9, Donald Trump delivered his acceptance speech after a long and hard-fought election. In that speech he made a promise that should have comforted citizens, saying, “I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.” Unfortunately, this didn’t seem to be enough for everyone

In light of the results citizens protested what is being called the most stunning election result in history. Chants such as, “Not My President,” “Love Trumps Hate,” and, “Bigger than Bigotry,” filled major cities. Protesters exercising their right to protest filled San Francisco, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Portland.

In Portland, Oregon however, peaceful protesting soon turned into rioting. The cars at a Toyota dealership in the Pearl District were destroyed. The rioters shattered the windows of businesses as they passed. Police arrested over 70 people.

Meanwhile Trump posted his reaction to the protests on Twitter. He tweeted, “Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!” When the protests didn’t die down he sent out another tweet saying “Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud!”

“Not My President” protest sign. Courtesy Google

Citizens at the protests advocate for certain liberties they believe will be taken away with their new president. Many of the comments Trump has made both before and during his campaign have insulted and upset many minorities, such as the ban he proposed on all Muslim immigrants. He promised to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and called its citizens “bad hombres”. Trump has also made a bad impression on many women. A tape released during the campaign featured a 2005 behind-the-scenes look at an interview featuring Trump. He bragged about kissing and groping women and stated that, “When you’re a star, they let you do it”. Since then over a dozen women have come forward accusing Trump of sexual assault. The president elect has denied these allegations.

Although at the white house the peaceful transition of power is reportedly going smoothly, out on the streets it isn’t as smooth as most would hope.

Riley Kankelberg is currently in her second year of Journalism. She enjoys both narrative and journalistic writing and is interested in being a novelist in the future. A lover of science fiction and fantasy, Kankelberg’s favorite books include The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Her favorite shows are Stranger Things, Agents of Shield, and The Flash. Riley also enjoys nerding out with her friends about Marvel.